The case for power generation using renewable energy sources is now abundantly clear, and wind-energy converters, such as wind turbines, are commonly employed for this purpose. In many cases, it is appropriate to locate the wind-energy converters and associated generators off-shore.
In the case of most present-day wind-turbines, an electrical generator is mechanically connected to the wind turbine rotor. One problem associated with the use of such wind turbines is that the utilization of the generators associated with the turbines is relatively low because, in times when there is little or no wind, they are not being driven to any significant proportion of their maximum capacity. Consequently, it would be desirable to improve the utilization of the generators to provide more effective and efficient power generation.